An Understanding
by Rowena-Moon-Moon
Summary: Harry makes a new discovery and perhaps a few unlikely allies when he helps Draco Malfoy, who has been cornered by three older Slytherins. That is a horrible summary but I can't come up with anything better. Set in Order of the Phoenix after the Ministry battle. One-Shot... Happy New Year! Also, it's just rated T for safety... There is a bit of violence.


**A/N: So, my muse was being uncooperative... This story was born because I had horrible writer's block and a head full of plot bunnies... So I started a new document and started typing. I'm happy to say that this has relieved my writer's block, and I have something new to post now, which is a nice bonus.**

"Out of my way, Rosier." Harry knew that voice anywhere. When he stuck his head around the corner, his suspicions were confirmed. Draco Malfoy was backed into a corner and surrounded by three seventh year Slytherins. The boy's wand lay on the ground a few feet away.

"Not so fast, Malfoy. The Dark Lord isn't very happy with your dear old dad right now, is he? Not after the way he failed at the Ministry last week. He couldn't even capture a couple of school kids who were outnumbered two to one." The seventh year was looming over the Malfoy heir. Harry was about to jump into the conflict when he remembered the cold, sneering voice of Lucius Malfoy and, by extension, Sirius' death. Rage filled him, and all thoughts of helping Draco Malfoy fled. At least they had until Rosier spoke again.

"Now we're going to teach you a lesson on behalf of the master." There was a beat of silence, and Harry peeked back around the corner just in time to see Malfoy raise his chin defiantly. Harry had to hand it to him, it was a brave thing to do in the face of three older and more experienced opponents.

"_Diffindo,_" Rosier hissed, and a shallow cut formed on Malfoy's cheek. He didn't flinch. Harry was still hesitant to help the blond git, and the older boys hadn't done anything terrible yet. Harry chided himself mentally. It didn't matter who it was, he should help. _But how?_ During his thought process, three more cuts had been added to Malfoy's face. Harry really started to panic when the tall boy on the right of Rosier, Dolohov perhaps, sent a bone breaker at Malfoy and snapped his left arm. _Not his want arm at least. _Harry wasn't sure what to do. He had to help, but he wasn't sure that he could take on the three boys at once. His eyes fell once more on Malfoy's wand. Struck by an idea, he summoned it. He didn't notice that he'd done it non-verbally. His plan went out the window when the last boy, definitely Avery, hissed a spell.

"_Crucio!_" Malfoy dropped to his knees but he still didn't make a sound. Throwing caution to the wind, Harry rushed round the corner and threw a stunner at Avery first, then at Rosier, who he'd deemed the main aggressor. As soon as Avery was down, Malfoy stood shakily. A hateful sneer twisted his face as he looked at the boy Harry believed to be Dolohov. He then did something that surprised Harry immensely. Malfoy drew back his fist and punched maybe-Dolohov in the jaw. The older boy hit the stone floor like a ton of bricks. Seemingly forgetting that someone else was there, Malfoy leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He was shaking. Harry took a moment to put each of the boys on the floor in a body bind before refocusing his attention.

"Alright, Malfoy?" Harry called to the boy, not moving any closer. Blue-gray eyes snapped open and met his own.

"I s'pose so," Malfoy replied. Harry was floored by the lack of hostility in the other boy. He gave a nod, taking a few steps closer to the blond.

"Catch." Malfoy reached up with his unbroken arm and snatched his wand out of the air.

"Thanks, Potter," Malfoy muttered tiredly. Harry was truly concerned now. He closed the rest of the distance between them and put a hand on Malfoy's shoulder. The Slytherin stiffened slightly.

"Let's get you to Pomfrey." He got a tired nod in return. Pulling Draco's arm over his shoulder, Harry started the slow journey to the hospital wing, which, luckily, wasn't to far from where they were. Wait, when had he started thinking of the other boy as Draco? He was brought out of his musing when Malfoy suddenly jerked his arm back and straightened his posture. Harry understood why when he entered the hospital wing. Snape was there.

"What did you do, Potter?" the man snapped as he laid eyes on Malfoy. Curiously enough, the ferret had relaxed when he'd seen Snape.

"Nothing, sir." Harry nearly gaped when Draco, _Malfoy,_ stood up for him. "Potter stopped the people who did this," Malfoy added grudgingly. Snape was staring at Harry now. After a moment, Snape nodded jerkily before ushering Draco into a bed, leaving Harry standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

"What happened, Draco?" Snape asked.

"I was cornered by Rosier, Dolohov, and Avery. They decided to make me pay for Father's recent failure." Snape nodded.

"Potter?" Snape called, looking over his shoulder and arching an eyebrow in question.

"I was feeling restless in the common room, so I decided to wander a bit before dinner," Harry started. He'd been thinking about Sirius. Harry was feeling very out of his depth in that moment. Both Snape and Malfoy were being unnervingly civil. "I heard Malfoy tell someone to move, so I peeked around the corner." Snape nodded and motioned for him to continue. "They had Malfoy backed into a corner and disarmed. When they started using cutting curses, I tried to figure out a way to help. There was no way I could have taken on three seventh years by myself. I summoned Malfoy's wand. That's when Dolohov cast the bone breaker. I still didn't have a plan, but when Avery started using Unforgivables, I acted anyway. I stunned Avery and Rosier. Malfoy here probably broke Dolohov's jaw. Nice punch, by the way," Harry added. Malfoy smirked. When he glanced up at Snape, the man was shaking with rage. After a moment, the shaking stopped and Snape's face grew impassive.

"Where are they?" he asked.

"The dead end passage across from the Library." Snape stood and made to leave. "Sir," Harry called after him.

"Yes, Potter?" Snape hissed angrily without turning around. Harry could tell the man was itching to expel the fools.

"Shouldn't you heal Draco first? Or at least give him a pain reliever? He _was _just put under the Cruciatus." Harry winced at his slip up. He had used Malfoy's first name. Snape, on the other hand, looked as though he was reprimaning himself. The man shook his head slightly.

"Of course. I'm sorry, Draco, that was inconsiderate of me."

"No worries, sir." Harry was gaping at the easy manner in which Snape and Malfoy were interacting.

"Are you two feeling okay?" Harry asked before he could stop himself. Snape looked mildly amused when he answered.

"I doubt that Draco is considering the circumstances, but I myself am just fine, Potter. A bit lighter, perhaps, without all the masks and pretenses." He gave Harry a significant look. It all seemed to click in that moment for Harry.

"_Severus," _Dumbledore's words from the year before echoed in his head_. "you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready … if you are prepared …"_

"_I am," _Snape had said.

"_How many times have you suspected Snape, and when have you ever been right? Dumbledore trusts him, he works for the Order, that ought to be enough."_ Hermione's voice joined the Headmaster's.

"_No — that's your job, isn't it?" _Harry had said to Snape.

"_Yes, Potter," _he had replied. "_That is my job." _Harry had never considered the implication of that conversation. He'd known that Snape was a spy, but he hadn't truly thought about it. Harry had never considered that Snape may not truly hate him, that he was only keeping appearances. He gave the professor a sharp nod to show that he understood. When he locked eyes with Malfoy, the boy nodded. Suddenly, Madame Pomfrey bustled into the room. Harry watched both Snape and Draco's masks click into place. He allowed anger to settle onto his own face.

"Severus! What is going on here? Why didn't you alert me at once that I had a patient?"

"My apologies, Poppy," Snape replied blandly. Harry couldn't help but snicker at the afronted look on the matron's face.

"Something funny, Potter?" Snape growled. "Ten points from Gryffindor!"

"I'll be right back!" announced Madame Pomfrey, who'd been running diagnostics during the interaction.

"Get out of here Potter, and report to my office tonight at seven for _remedial potions._" Snape order when she was gone. A small smile accompanied the nod he gave his professor. Harry knew he must have imagined the words he heard as he left the infirmary.

"Twenty points to Gryffindor for your heroics, Potter and for finally figuring it out. Now, get lost you dunderhead." There was no bite to the words, and Harry chuckled slightly as he scampered away. He thought that the three of them had come to an understanding.

**A/N: Review and let me know what you think of my impromptu one-shot!**


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